Fantastic group of images DC. Do any of your cards state the specific name for the lounge at the Vegas location? I know the Miami lounge was the Tahitian and featured a swizzle with the man and woman under a palm tree logo. I have a swizzle with the same logo for the Wreck Bar. Was the Wreck the Vegas lounge? The connection between the two if any has always interested me as well.

The swizzle.
Logo from a postcard from the Miami location dated 1956 for comparison of the two logos.

_________________"Anyone who has ever seen them is thereafter haunted as if by a feverish dream" Karl Woermann

Wow, a Lilly St.Cyr show at the Castaways...with "Barry Ashton's Un-Cover Girls" !? Gotta love it! Where is my time machine!

I see now what you mean, DC, that guy sure LOOKS Vegas, too, same pose than in the postcard. I feel pretty certain that the Vegas Castaways was an attempt by the Miami owners to franchise, the logo and font are too similar to be a rip off. Plus the concept of plopping some exotic temple into the pool area mirrors the Miami location's "Shinto Temple Room".

I agree, sure seems like there had to be a connection between the Miami and Vegas Castaways. Will do a little more digging.

Here are a few more photos of the east Indian Temple.

And a story from the web:

The handcarved Teak Temple, a two story artifice with spiral staircase, was tucked behind the Castaways Casino in a small courtyard, about 150-200 yards from the entrance to the Sands Hotel, but it could not be seen from there. It was partially visible from Spring Mountain Rd., not far from The Sneak Joint. There were no guards there, and if you were real careful you could slip under the chain and walk around inside (hey, we were kids, what did we know).

The centuries old Teak Temple made its first US appearance at the 1904 St. Louis Fair. How it wound up at the Castaway's is anyone's guess. When the Castaway's was being torn down to make way for The Mirage, the Jain Society, according to a reliable source, moved it to Southern California where it reposes today.

It was one of the True Jewels of LV and is sorely missed.

So, the temple is supposed to be in Southern California.... somebody needs to find it!

Did some more research and the Temple is now at the Jains Center complex in Buena Park.

A little more info:

The British built the teak temple in 1904 for the World's Fair in St. Louis. It was supposed to go back to India, but somehow ended up in Howard Hughes' hands. He put it on display in the parking lot of the Castaways Casino in Las Vegas. After the eccentric billionaire's death, local Jains persuaded Hughes' corporation to donate the temple.

A major feature of the Cultural Complex includes a 104-year old wooden temple erected in the main foyer of the building. Intricately carved of teakwood by sixty-five artisans over a two-year period, it is an exquisite replica of the famed Jain Temple of Palitana Mountain in Gujarat, India. Originally commissioned by the British government, the wooden temple (weighing nearly 10,000 pounds) was first displayed in the USA at the 1904-1905 St. Louis World Fair. Last displayed in the courtyard of the Castaways Casino in Las Vegas, this priceless art relic was donated to JCSC when the casino was demolished. It has finally found an appropriate permanent home and is proudly displayed at the Jain Center.

Great research, DC! That artifact sure looked out of place in that pool area. Wonder if it was just a "Good Luck" gimmick or if the original owners really had an interest in Far East religions. WHO were they, anyway!?

Looking at the grandiose scale the Miami Castaways, the Vegas one never reached that...though at the time, there was no shortage of grandiose Casinos in Vegas. Maybe the owners were older, and had less energy for this satellite. Or they were not in bed with the right people in Vegas at the time.

In 1963, the name was changed to the Castaways Hotel & Casino when a group of investors headed by Ike P. LaRue of Jackson, Mississippi, remodeled it.

Sometime later somebody came up with the idea of putting a 1,500-gallon fish tank behind the bar. It didn't have a fish in it. A nude showgirl swam lazily through the water three times a day holding her breath while everyone watching held theirs.

The Castaways ran into financial trouble in late 1964, and the casino was forced to close down. The hotel, showrooms, and restaurant continued to operate.

It reopened in 1967, as Oliver's New Castaways Casino when Oliver Kable bought the resort. The Castaways had 230 suites.

In 1969 or 1970, The Castaways was sold to Howard Hughes via Hughes Tool Company for $3 million dollars.

Here is an aerial showing the entire grounds. What is that round stone structure in the foreground right?

As far as the architecture goes, I found out that the architect for the Castways in Miami, M. Tony Sherman, also designed the Tropicana in Las Vegas but not the Vegas Castaways.

He also designed the cool Jolly Roger in Fort Lauderdale which I understand has gained historical status.

A little bit of trivia... When I was 17 years old, I would go play blackjack after work at the Castaways because they wouldn't card me. Lost my ass, but I guess you gotta learn somehow. Even better story, I once met a cocktail waitress from the Castaways and had a one night stand. After 'partying' all night, I dropped her off at work at the casino! The 70's were a hoot. Man, I'm gettin old. lol

Fantastic drink ware! All the elements come together here! It is interesting how for each place in Tikidom, one piece uses their logo elements to the best advantage. Often it is the menu that is most impressive in its graphics, but sometimes a matchbook or even a napkin do a better job. For the Castaways Vegas I'd say it's these glasses!